“I’m not here to make up the numbers,” declares Armando Colaco, his eyes gleaming with the same intensity that has guided him to five national championships with city rivals. Now at the helm of Sporting Clube de Goa, the veteran coach is plotting yet another footballing revolution.
In just two whirlwind seasons, Colaco has orchestrated a remarkable ascent for the Flaming Oranje – from I-League 3 obscurity to I-League 2 prominence, with a Goa Professional League crown as the cherry on top. But for veteran tactician, this is merely the overture.
“People ask if I’m satisfied. Satisfied? Ha!” Colaco chuckles, leaning back in his chair at Sporting’s training ground. “In football, the moment you’re satisfied, you’re finished. We’ve only just begun.”
The upcoming I-League 2 campaign presents a fresh challenge, one that Colaco relishes. “It’s a different beast,” he admits, “but so were we when we started this journey. We were the underdogs, the outsiders. Now? We’re the team everyone’s watching.”
Colaco’s strategy for the higher tier is as pragmatic as it is ambitious. “We’re not here to reinvent the wheel,” he asserts. “Our success came from hard work, discipline, and a never-say-die attitude. That doesn’t change. We’re just sharpening our tools.”
But the wily coach isn’t naive about the task ahead. “I tell my boys, ‘Yesterday’s glory won’t win you tomorrow’s battles.’ In I-League 2, every match is a war. We need to be fitter, smarter, and hungrier than ever before.”
Sporting’s training sessions have taken on a new intensity. “You see that?” Colaco points to a group of players executing a complex passing drill. “That’s the future of Sporting. Quick thinking, quicker feet. In I-League 2, if you blink, you’re beaten.”
The coach’s eyes light up when discussing his squad. “We’ve got a mix of experience and youth that excites me. Some of these kids, they play with no fear. It reminds me of… well, me in my younger days,” he grins.
But Colaco is quick to temper expectations. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are football dynasties. Our goal? Stability. Respect. And yes, to give a few big boys a bloody nose along the way,” he winks.
With the I-League 2 season on the horizon, Sporting Clube de Goa, under Colaco’s astute guidance, stands on the brink of a new chapter. As the coach himself puts it, “We’re not just participating in I-League 2. We’re coming to compete, to challenge, and to prove that Sporting Clube de Goa belongs with the best. Strap in, it’s going to be one hell of a ride!”
